e. Heureusement nous etions trois
pres de l'un l'autre et il n'y a eut de lui de touche. Je vous envoi
la petite lettre qu'il venait de vous faire, et en meme tant vous
verrez les trous que les eclats d'obus l'on attrapper. Recevez de
moi chere madame mes sinceres salutations.

JULES COPPEE.

Tambour au 151e Regiment d'Inf.,
2e Cie 42e Division, Secteur postale 56.

Crude and illiterate though it was, the letter had a certain noble
simplicity. "Tres gentil," I remarked as I returned it to Jeanne, and
thought the matter at an end. But Jeanne had not done, and, with much
circumlocution and many hesitations, she at last preferred a simple
request. I was going to visit the battlefield of the Marne--yes? I
assented. Well, perhaps, perhaps Monsieur would visit Paul's grave, and
perhaps if he found it he would take a photograph. "Why, certainly," I
said, little knowing what I promised. But the request was to have a
strange sequel, as you shall hear. Sykes came to say my car was at the
door. As I clambered in and turned to wave a farewell, Madame and
Jeanne stood on the doorstep to wish me _bon voyage_. "J'espere que vous
tuerez plusieurs Allemands," cried Madame in a quavering voice.
"Veuillez ne pas oublier, M'sieu'," cried Jeanne wistfully. I waved my
hand, and had soon left rue Robert le Frisson far behind me.

FOOTNOTE:

[8] The town described in this sketch is described not as it is, but as
it was some months ago, and nothing is to be inferred from the title as
to its present significance.

XII

MORT POUR LA PATRIE

Two days later a French staff-officer greeted me in the vestibule of the
Hotel de Crillon at Paris. It was the Comte de G----; he had been
deputed by the Ministry of War to act as my escort on my tour of the
French lines. He proved to be a charming companion. He was a magnificent
figure of a man six feet three inches in height at least, an officer of
dragoons, and he wore the red and white brassard, embroidered in gold
with a design of forked lightning, which is the prerogative of the
staff. A military car with a driver and an orderly in shaggy furs
awaited us outside on the Place de la Concorde. It was a sumptuous car,
upholstered in green corded silk, with nickel fittings, and displaying
on its panels the motto _Quand meme_, and the monogram of a famous
actress.